I looked at the list of books under “The Best Books of the 20th Century,” and I noticed that they were all books in my English class in high school. I remembered, then, hating all of the novels simply because we were mandated to read them. I wanted to read YA books about teen romances. But tonight, as I peruse this once oppressive list, I realize that I want nothing more than to reread each and every one of them. I want to know if I can appreciate them more as an adult, who has loved, has hurt, and has experienced immeasurable pain, but ultimately has grown from every experience.

And now, I wait as my computer screen tells me that my copy of J.D. Salinger’s, Catcher in the Rye, will arrive to me this Sunday.

We’ll see if it stands the test of time. Stay tuned.